This invention relates to a technique for managing an ink cartridge placed in an ink jet printer.
To print normally, an ink jet printer manages the state of an ink cartridge, for example, the ink remaining amount. That is, the ink remaining amount in the ink cartridge is estimated based on the amount of printouts provided from the initial placement of the ink cartridge to the present. When the ink cartridge is replaced, the ink remaining amount estimated so far is reset and new estimation of the ink remaining amount is started.
In the above-described method, the ink remaining amount cannot always be estimated precisely.
For example, to remove anink cartridge placed in one printer and again place the ink cartridge in another printer for use, the printer, which resets the ink remaining amount estimated so far, recognizes the again placed ink cartridge as an initially placed ink cartridge and estimates the ink remaining amount.
Thus, the user who prints with the again placed ink cartridge cannot know the precise ink remaining amount and therefore may encounter the ink end (namely, ink remaining amount zero) at an unexpected point in the printing.
It is an object of the present invention is to provide a method of precisely determining ink remaining amount in an ink cartridge.
It is another object of the invention to make it possible to precisely manage the state of an ink cartridge even if the ink cartridge is used with different printers.
To achieve the above-noted and other objects, the present invention provides, for example, the following technical concept: That is, a serial number and so on of an ink cartridge is stored in a printer main body or a host device connected to the printer main body. Using the stored data and data of a currently mounted cartridge, the printer or host determine a precise in remaining amount in the currently mounted ink cartridge.
The present invention provides, for example, the following technical concept: That is, serial numbers of printers that have ever been used with an ink cartridge is stored in the ink cartridge, and using the stored data and data stored in a printer or host, an ink remaining amount of the ink cartridge is determined.
The present invention provides, for example, the following technical concept: That is, data stored in an ink cartridge is saved as backup data in a printer or a host when the ink cartridge is to be detached from the printer or when power for the printer on which the ink cartridge is mounted is turned off.
The present invention provides, for example, the following technical concept: That is, data stored in an ink cartridge is read when the ink cartridge is mounted to the printer or when power for the printer on which the ink cartridge is mounted is turned on. Then, the read data is compared with data stored in the printer or a host connected to the printer to determine an ink remaining amount of the ink cartridge.
The present invention provides, for example, the following technical concept: That is, data relating to ink cartridges that have ever been used together with a printer are stored in the printer or a host connected to the printer by cartridge-to-cartridge basis. When an ink cartridge or the ink cartridge is mounted to the printer, an ink remaining amount is determined using the stored data.
The present invention provides, for example, the following technical concept: That is, data relating to ink cartridges that have ever been used together with a printer are stored in the printer or a host connected to the printer by cartridge-to-cartridge basis. In storing data, the oldest data stored in the printer or host is updated with the newest data obtained in relation to the ink cartridge or an ink cartridge mounted to the printer.
The above-noted technical concepts and other technical concepts of the present invention are fully disclosed in the following description and the accompanying drawings.
The present disclosure relates to the subject matter contained in Japanese patent application Nos. Hei. 11-245388 (filed on Aug. 31, 1999), Hei. 11-246907 (filed on Sep. 1, 1999), Hei. 11-246952 (filed on Sep. 1, 1999) and Hei. 11-247325 (filed on Sep. 1, 1999), which are expressly incorporated herein by reference in their entireties.